This publication is the result of the joint effort by several enthusiastic public sector innovators and change agents from seven European cities, as well as their equally inquisitive and academic ‘helping hands’ from EIPA Barcelona, the Universities of Bologna (IT) and North Trøndelag (NO). Similar to the seven success journeys portrayed in this book, this assignment also had its very own journey and story to tell. After being named the winner of the European Public Sector Award in 2011 under the theme ‘Smart Public Service Delivery in a Cold Economic Climate’, the City of Bilbao was very keen and open to share with others its brilliant knowledge and values on local public management, and thereby boldly entered into a deeper and broader cooperation with EIPA. Thus, this study was one of the deliverables entrusted and commissioned by them. Therefore, our sincere thanks go first and foremost to the Mayor of Bilbao, Mr Iñaki Azkuna, and his aide in this assignment, Mr Andoni Aldekoa de la Torre, CEO in the city government, without whom this project would never have been realised.